A MAGNETIC performance to mark the beginning of the Wufeng Festival at the Wu Opera Theatre by the globally renowned Wu Opera opened the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Economic Trade and Cultural Cooperation on Thursday last week.
The Wu Opera act was characterised by clanging of bells, melodies and slurs from the guzheng and lutes with the big taiko drum dictating the beat which ultimately took the multi-cultural audience including visiting African diplomats to the beauty of the tourist attractions of Jinhua and Zhezhiang province narrative in an engaging manner. The highly energised performance was done in five closely neat movements as a welcome reception to the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Economic Trade and Cultural Cooperation which ran under the theme Exchanges and Mutual Learning People to People Bond Win-win Cooperation at the Nerada Hotel on November.
Ceramic moulds and artefacts on display outside the main auditoriums were predominantly by Congo Brazaville, Kenya and Tanzanian artists studying in China.
ln a space of an hour, the Wu Opera ensemble presented a cultural refinement act of modern and traditional outfits, dance, music, comedy, fencing and Kung-fu, singing and leadership chair crazy quarrels in breath-taking style.
Diplomatic speeches centred around a resolution to rally behin Chinese President Xi Jinping’s speech at FOCAC meeting held in Beijing in September.
At the FOCAC meeting, African leaders hailed China's quest for regional co-ordination and co-operation through its construction of high speed railway networks that link landlocked countries to the sea ports across the African continent.
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From the wide array of conversations it emerged that China prioritises the development of a shared future and Africa-China co-operation and it was sincerely hoped that this forum marked a new chapter in the relationship between China and Africa. China-Africa Cooperation would like to see the realisation and tangible establishment of the China financial resources open industrial park, agricultural science and technology park, China Africa buildings and infrastructure to support the bilateral ties.
NewsDay Life & Style gives the highlights from the conversations
Tang Xiaoyun vice-president China Tourism Academy
Tourism is one of the biggest industries that supports not only African economies but the world at large. Look at tourism as a driving force of the economies while we remain focused on the speech made by President Xi Jinping at the recently held FOCAC in Beijing where he revealed six proposals and 10 partnerships worth over US$5 billion. This will in turn result in industrial developments and increased regional and territorial security gains. The 10-partner actions would bring desirable outcomes like mutual learning, people-to-people cooperation, vocational education in Africa, knowledge network, technological support to the industry 5.0 initiatives and a people-to-people understanding.
About Suleiman Jumbe, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and Heritage Zanzibar
Was the first one to deliver a speech through video which indicated that African countries have a strong mission for marketing their natural resources and Tourism to China and the world at large.
Taking Tene Rodrigue, head of African Film at the Zhezhiang Normal University
My main research is centred on promoting usages of digital technologies and Artificial Intelligence for African movies done through co-operation of the Chinese and Africans. I wish to call them Sino-African films as they will accommodate actors, script writers, directors from both Africa and China.These technological advancements shall be of great help especially when it comes to people-to-people cooperation.
To this effect, l have a been privileged and honoured to produce a film entitled the Kung-fu Dream which will be released soon. This movie reflects how myself and fellow Cameroonians have been influenced by film. We need to open the Chinese Market and bring the vision of Africa to China through a dedicated and collaborative Sino-African co-operation.
The Hengdian Village is equated to Hollywood and its often dubbed the Chinese Hollywood while the films are termed Chinawood and for now it has produced several globally celebrated movies.The Institute of African Studies was opened in 2006 to allow the Chinese ample time to learn about Africa.
Zhou Chonglie, Secretary The CPC Jinhua Municipal Committee
Jinhua is located in Zhejian Province China and is popular for its magnificent well told history and culture, land of luminaries, city of literature and town of picturesque landscape. The city now focuses on enhanced cultural exchanges between China and Africa through physical interactions and digital and artificial intelligence technologies. We are rally in full support of President Xi Jinping commitment at the recently held FOCAC meeting last September in Beijing.
African diplomats on tourism and technological advancements
Ambassadors and speakers from Tanzania, Botswana, Sao Tome and Seychelles agreed on the need to speed up the construction of high speed railway networks that link all countries to ports and strategic markets. The ambassadors emphasised the need to embrace modern technologies while the beauty of African natural resources and tourism is preserved.
Zhao on Zimbabwe tourism and culture industry
Steve Zhao, director of the China Zimbabwe Exchange Centre, said his organisation was more than ready to carry out business exchanges between China and Zimbabwe and Africa at large. Cultural refinement plays a significant role in the upliftment of African economies.
The 2024 Forum on China-Africa Economic Trade and Cultural Cooperation presented an opportunity for Zimbabwe to solidify its position on Sino-African relationships in spite of a visible diplomatic representation on the event. Zimbabwe will grab the biggest chunk of the opportunities as it steps ahead in terms of preparedness in terms of tourist attractions, road networks, industrialisation and a vibrant culture and creative industries.